Deal or No Deal?

[Carburetorless]

I went into a shop today to look at some rope.

I found some Sterling 7/16 HTP, it had sort of a black sheath with a green tracer in it, and knotted very well.

I was sold based on the knottability and the fact that it was Sterling rope in the size that I want, so I asked one of the sales people for assistance, some guy that looked like Howey Mandel came over and said "How much rope do you want"?

This is where it gets tricky, the spool of rope that I liked only had a few feet of rope on it, and there was another spool right beside it that had rope that looked similar but different.

The rope I liked was sort of black, but not jet black, and had visible green tracer running through it, while the full spool was jet black, had a green tracer that was barely noticeable, and was stiffer than the other rope.

So I told the guy, well I want around 120 ft of this rope right here, but it doesn't look like there's that much on there; Can you measure it for me to see how much is there?

He says "Yeah, I can measure it IF YOU BUT IT"!

So I'm like "Well I'm not buying it if there's not 120' there". He says "There's 120' there, but I'm not taking it off unless you're buying it"!

So I say to him "I'm sorry; Did I do something to you that upset you"? Then he starts pulling the rope off the spool, and just pulls out an arms length at a time like he's a human measuring machine or something, and he says "There's about 50' there".

I say "Well I'm not sure about your method of measurement, but that's not enough for me to buy it; Can you measure it with a tape to see exactly how much is there, cause if it's like 75' I'll buy it".

Again he says "There's 50' there"! I say "How can you tell"? He says "Because I ####ing do this #### all the ####ing time"!

So I'm like ? WTF ?! I'm thinking to myself "hey I just want to know how much rope is there, and he's being an A hole".

And he was indeed being an A-Hole, big time. Why? I don't know. Maybe it was because he looked like he was going to a Howey Mandel look alike contest, but that's just a guess.

But anyway, Back to the story.

The guy keeps being an A-Hole, so I start to walk out, and I see the other guy coming over, so I asked him "What's that guys problem, he being an A-Hole" and the Howey Mandel guy comes stomping over there saying something, so the guy tells "Hey man just walk away", so he walks away starts rolling the 42' piece of rope back onto the spool.

Meanwhile I'm back over at the rope rack with the other guy asking him if they have anymore of the rope that I liked, and he says "This spool here is the same exact rope".

So I showed him the differences, I tied a figure 8 in the rope I liked, it tied easily and pulled tight, then I tied the same knot in the full spool, it was stiffer and difficult to pull tight, and didn't stay tight when I released the pressure.

But the still insisted that it was the exact same rope, so I asked him why the sheath was stiffer, and why the tracer was so much different, and he starts showing the other Sterling rope(the Super Static), he says "This has a nylon core, that has a polyester core" which I already knew, but it didn't answer my question.

Then he looks at a number on the spools, and says "Yeah they're the same exact rope(I didn't check the numbers, I didn't need to, cause it wasn't the same rope).

I asked him if maybe it was because the one rope was older, and maybe the new rope has been treated with something, and he acted like he was mad at me for asking him questions about the rope, then starts going on about how it's the same exact rope, and how he's not responsible for Sterling if they decide to change their sheath between orders and all that kind of stuff.

Finally he starts to leave and puts in one more "it's the same exact rope". So I say "Do you have the spec. sheets"?

He's like Whhaaaaa? I said "Show me the spec, sheet for both of these spools".

O.K., I'm no expert, so this is where I have to break away from the story and ask a question to those of you who are experts.

"Isn't the spec sheet supposed to be on the spool anyways, or at least available to the customer so he can make an informed decision about the rope he's buying and intending to place his life on"?

The response was "I'm not getting the spec. sheet, because I already know what it is, it's the same exact rope"! "This rope will be just like this rope after you use it for a while".

I didn't go into how I'd like to know the tensile strength of the rope, but I did actually take the time to tie a blake's hitch on the rope, it actually tied good, and when I pulled down on the tail it held very well, and when I put my hand on top of the knot and pull down slightly it slide down with ease.

Needless to say, I was impressed with it, because it worked much better than my current rope.

I didn't buy it though, because 1( The guy wouldn't show me the spec sheet. 2.( The guy was an A-Hole.

I actually wanted the rope, and will most likely get one direct from Sterling. If the guy had so much as shown me the spec sheet I probably would have bought it, but no spec. sheet, No Deal Howey!

:angrysoapbox::angrysoapbox:

 

[abureels4me]

I guess you gave them enough rope to "hang" the deal :hmm3grin2orange: I would have walked straight to the manager and demanded satisfaction.

 

[Carburetorless]

I guess you gave them enough rope to "hang" the deal :hmm3grin2orange: I would have walked straight to the manager and demanded satisfaction.

I'm typing up a full report tonight, it'll be waiting in mailboxes all through the chain of command come Monday morning.

Lol, those guys even have a facebook page with their names and pictures on it, so there will be no doubt as to which squeaky wheels get the oil.:hmm3grin2orange:

Seriously though, I gave them every oportunity to sell me that rope, but they were having no part of it.

 

[himiler]

Taking out all the personalities and just looking at the basics of what went on I would have to say you're the customer with reasonable expectations.
I want to know what I'm trusting my life to. Specs wouldn't be mailed with the rope spools if it weren't reasonable for the customer to review those specs.
You demonstrated a difference in the rope that should have been resolved. At the cost of rope it's also reasonable to request a fair measurement. If you go to one of the big box stores like Lowes they have a way of measuring cheap rope, you're buying the expensive stuff at a specialty store.
So what if you think I'm Howey Mandel, as long as you aren't rude or disrespectful I have a responsibility to meet reasonable expectations. After you're gone and as long as I'm not in front of other customers I may discuss the fact that you were indeed one carbeurator short of a full engine, or whatever it is I decide to say, but hey, I'm old school. Others actions or the lack thereof should not affect mine because if they do, I then become that which I detest.
Carbless, become a student of others and their reactions. Develop the tool of working with others to obtain the results you're wanting, become of manager of sorts. Observe facial, body, and verbal clues and cues to different interactions and use it to mutual advantage.
Steve

 

[himiler]

I'm typing up a full report tonight, it'll be waiting in mailboxes all through the chain of command come Monday morning.

Lol, those guys even have a facebook page with their names and pictures on it, so there will be no doubt as to which squeaky wheels get the oil.:hmm3grin2orange:

Seriously though, I gave them every oportunity to sell me that rope, but they were having no part of it.

It's a chess game. Either you spell it out in such a way that they pretty much look like the less than spectacular company representatives they are, or you confirm the fact you really are a clueless jerk. There's two of them to one of you, if you get into a war of words you lose.

 

[Carburetorless]

Taking out all the personalities and just looking at the basics of what went on I would have to say you're the customer with reasonable expectations.
I want to know what I'm trusting my life to. Specs wouldn't be mailed with the rope spools if it weren't reasonable for the customer to review those specs.
You demonstrated a difference in the rope that should have been resolved. At the cost of rope it's also reasonable to request a fair measurement. If you go to one of the big box stores like Lowes they have a way of measuring cheap rope, you're buying the expensive stuff at a specialty store.

That was my thought process at the time.

Carbless, become a student of others and their reactions. Develop the tool of working with others to obtain the results you're wanting, become of manager of sorts. Observe facial, body, and verbal clues and cues to different interactions and use it to mutual advantage.
Steve

In a normal interaction that works well, but those guys seemed to have some other agenda. You see that a lot from guys with bald heads for some reason.

Hair won't grow where the brain is dead ya know.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

All you have to do is look at the bar code on the side of the rope roll. The rope you are lookig at ist made for arorist work. Just order a dam arborist rope online. I can imagine how if your a much a pita in person as you are on here, how the guy would have acted like that to you.

 

[newsawtooth]

seriously though, i gave them every oportunity to sell me that rope, but they were having no part of it.

No rope for you! Come back one year. Next!

 

[Carburetorless]

All you have to do is look at the bar code on the side of the rope roll. The rope you are lookig at ist made for arorist work. Just order a dam arborist rope online. I can imagine how if your a much a pita in person as you are on here, how the guy would have acted like that to you.

I was actually going to buy it for setting anchors and tie backs on a roof top for window drops.

I must just look like a pita, cause I hadn't spoken a word when he started acting like that.

 

[Carburetorless]

No rope for you! Come back one year. Next!

Yeah, the rope nazi for sure.

Wir sind geizig mit unseren gefälschten Seile!

 

[tree md]

Makes me glad that I buy arborist rope from reputable arborist suppliers that are more than helpful when you are trying to make an informed decision...